We started out at the North Prong parking lot and trail head. Went around the Upper canyon trail to the fern cave. The first half of that trail is wide and well maintained. There was a little washing in the trail from a recent rain. About three quarters of a mile from the cave the trail narrows and is grown over in some places due to lack of traffic. The fern cave provides a cool place to relax and get away from the heat. From the cave we headed up to Haynes Ridge and went back across to Haynes Ridge Overlook. There are some really good places along the trail to soak up the beauty of the canyons from both sides of the trail. The overlook is also very scenic. This trail is pretty narrow and is grown up in areas too. The trail up to the Haynes Ridge trail is steep in places and pretty rugged at times. Bring lots of water and wear sunscreen for this trip. You will need it. The only people we passed along the way was one group of horseback riders. Other than the lizards and one rattlesnake, we had the trail to ourselves. Be sure to spray good with insect repellent, there are biting flies at different times of the year. I would also recommend long pants due to small cactus, yucca and small scrub bushes along the trail. Overall a good hike. If you are not up for the climb, from the cave you can turn back and go back using the upper canyon trail.

This hike will give you a workout. This being the first time we had hiked it we really didn't know what to expect. Not being able to see the peak until later in the hike was sometimes frustrating. You would think you were almost there and go around the bend to see you had further to go than you thought. The weather was great for the day. It would get pretty hot and then a cloud would come over or a cool breeze would cool you down. There were a few other hikers but not too many. Overall it was a great challenge. The trails were well marked and the views were spectacular. I would recommend this trail to an experienced hiker but not to the novice. The monument at the top was a great place to have lunch.